Google hit with pending financial sanctions in France over privacy law snafu

Google is no stranger to running afoul of privacy regulations, something that it is now facing in France as the nation hits the Internet giant with financial sanctions. According to the Commission Nationale de L’Informatique et des Libertes, Google has failed to follow through with mandated alterations on how it handles data to bring it in line with France’s privacy laws.

Back in June, the above mentioned Commission gave Google a three month deadline to alter its methods in accordance with France’s privacy laws, with today being the last day of that 90 days period. Because the Internet giant still has not altered its methods, the beginning stage of imposed sanctions has begun, with Google facing up to a bit over $200,000 in fines.

Said a company spokes person to the folks at PC World: “We have engaged fully with the CNIL [Commission in France] throughout this process, and we’ll continue to do so going forward.” The reasons for failing to comply? Google claims that the privacy laws to which it was told to conform aren’t applicable to some users in France.

Under fire are the ways Google lets its users know what data it acquires, as well as its methods for getting the go-ahead to store tracking cookies, among others. All of this follows a larger debacle over antitrust issues in Europe, with Google recently offering up additional concessions in hopes of ending the multi-year investigation and avoiding a massive multi-billion dollar fine.